Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesRangers assistant captain Scott Gomez (center) will not play against the Devils Wednesday night because of a "leg issue,'' according to Rangers coach Tom Renney.

Scott Gomez missed Wednesday night's game with a leg injury that had been bothering him for some time, according to Rangers coach Tom Renney. Renney insisted, though, that the injury would not keep his team's No. 1 center out of action for a long period.

"Day-to-day, for sure," Renney said.

Gomez, who had played in all of the Rangers' first 18 games (three goals, a team-high 10 assists, 13 points) had missed several practices, including Tuesday's. But Renney had said the injury that was bothering Gomez wouldn't get any worse if the former Devil continued to play. And, he indicated Tuesday he anticipated Gomez would play Wednesday night.

"I think he would have told you that yesterday, too," Renney said. "But 24 hours later, it wasn't quite right. With things like that, it's always a little bit of a moving target -- you talk to your medical people, you talk to the athlete, you draw your own conclusions, and certainly we were able to do that this morning, based on how he felt a day later."

Renney said Gomez has had X-rays and MRIs and every kind of test. He would not reveal what the tests had indicated but said simply, "it's just ... pain. It's painful."

Since scoring the game-winning goal Oct. 27 in a victory over the rival Islanders, Gomez had just two assists in the next six games, including one in Monday's shootout loss to Edmonton.